Fuel-regulator for steam-boilers.



R.. MIEHLE.

FUEL REGULATOR FOR STEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. 1907.

'l ,092,78 1 Patented Apr. 7, 191AL 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

@7&7

R.. MIEHLE. FUEL REGULATOR FOR STEAM BOILBRS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. 1907.

1,0923781. Patented ADR 7 191;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ggf@ @www FUELREGULATOR ron STEAM-Botines.

npplieation-meanprii 11', V19o?. f ssi-muc.' 367,618.

it 'known at I, Ronnn'r cxtlzen of thejUmtedStates, residing at Ch- 'cago, eonnty' of Cook, and State of Illinois,

have invented. certain* new and .useful '-Im pro'einents. in' FuelLRegulators for-'Steam-j Boilers, of whiohgthe 'following is a, full,

clear, 'andexaet speeiieati'on.A

-Tlnss invention relates to fluid fuel; `regni; laters for 'steam' generators', and more par-vv tleularly for-'thelasher .type of'boilersor' -generators Which-it isdesirable to Inlijn-l lwide variations in the' amount-off'steani used,

and hence itis necessary to-'vary the 'fuel -sup'ply in ac eordancewith variations lin the sineans for regulatng'. the uetsupplyjbfy T'rariations inthelstealn pressure as :ont'rafA 5 -the automatic controlling devices.

st eanlpressure.

-One ofthe `z ibjeets ef this invention,l therejibre, is .to .prov.1de" :improved Vand elicient distinguished rexn the steam teinperature'l- Another object of thev invention is t'o prof iride improvedv means 'for reducngthe' fuel supplywhen the steam pressure falls below a certain degree, Wherebyjthe -fuel will' bev ecenornized and there Will-'beprevented from injuring the generator when the Water 'supply' becomes insulicient to protect the generators In deviceso'f this' character-1t 1s, of course,

desirable'to. have the mechanism so set-that" tlie'fuel will be 'redu'ed orshut -o'ffjfivhen the steain 'pressure reaches a. certain-maximum, as' well. as -when itrea'ches aA certaln m1n1' mum, 'and Where these extremesa very' wide apart, there lnightbe instances' when. vthe amount of water or steam' 1n the generafl tor would not be sufficient to enable the 'maximum` heating capacity ofthejuel toraise' the. pressure to' the shut-ott point, and-as' a' consequence, in that event, the generator' would be damaged bythe rire, the pressure I mun shutting-oli degrees'.

` The invention has for its fur-ther object,

therefore, to provide improved means Whereby this objectionable result :will be, prevented.

Another object of the inventon'is to'provide improved and eleient means:whereby the operator may at will, either reduce or '1n-- crease the fuel supply' regardlessot the degreefof steam pressure and its action upon A Istill further object of the invention to 4provide' iniproved Inean'sfori-preventing thefumes from the'vaporizing fuel'frozn es- Specification of-LettersPatent.. l I Patnfd A91', 7, 1914,-

Caping from the burner nozzle and passages' betWeenfthe-retort; or r'gas genexeter and 'the .nozzlewhen 'thel pressure Qin' 4the nozzle'qor such passages falls so low" that the gas' will not be" pro]ect ed from the nozzle into the.

burner-,suchescaping 'fumes being too lleanQ-amixture. toffburn,l and yet suffe cientlyfri'ehin"hydro-carbon vapor to produce an. objectionable odor.

ends andthe 'aceompl's'hnientfof certain other ob] eets, will 'hereinafter appear-, the -1nvent11on-con'SiSt's'- `in the features ofn'ovelty whieh will no w' be described' with lreference tothe accompanying fdrafwings,v and' then more partieularly pointed out ini the claims;

IIx-the 'said' dravvngst-Fgure 1 is a side" elevation of a steam 'generator embodying .t1nsj1nvent1on,showing the saine as applied to'. a flasher boiler offfthe type usually ern'- ployed' on' meter 'vehieles' Fig; f2 is an en- 4larg'ed detailvertical sectional view of the gasfnozzle' Jandia' part of the burner; Fig. 3' is an end viewiof'th'e -nozzleeapp' Fig.v 4: is

an 'enlargeddetail View of an indicator herematter l1described.)y Fig; .5 is a vertical see tional lview of the fuel regulating valve of the'thermostat and lts connect-lons. Fig. 6 1s an enlarged'longitudinalsectional vl'eiv of the'pressureeeontrolled fuel regulating device.v VI4`ig."i s a-cross'seetionftliereof onthe tion ofa portionjthe-reo'f.

There are',of eurse, m'anyuses 1to1 which afdev'ieef this .character might be applied .withfadvantagm but-as its greatest eldgofv usefliln'ess I have -slioWn vit in connection lloor andthedaslbboard of the vehicle.

It is'cuStOmary toemploy in 'steamvehicles 'thegiasher type of boiler comprising an. ordinary' ,eoil 4, and- I .have elected: to i show the invention' in connection With vthat form 'of stea'rn generatonf To the upperfend `of such; coil' the water supply connections, not

necessary 'to illustrate', are inade, vWhile the `st eain generated lsjdrawn from'the lower 'Witlrafijotor vehicle, -1 Abeing the seat, 2 the end through. a suitable pipe or Connection 5 -6 and -suppliedd'ireotly 'to the engine. Ordinarily aportion of this pipe ,'suelrv as ample, as that shown in-Fig. 3. ofU. S; Patent 676,790, granted June 18,1901 to' R. .White, b ut there are, of course, other forms is provided with a thermostat,-'sneh, vfor eX-.

that might be employed. This' thermostat is designed Ato control the gasolene or other fluid fuel valve 7, and its effect theoretically4 1s to.close this valve and thereby shutoff or reduce the amount of fluid passing to thel burner when the temperature of the superlreatedsteam passing through sect-ion 5 of the steam pipe rises to a predetermined defrree or a devree sutlicientto Arodncc'that b 7 b amount of elongation of the thermostat tube' which has been previousl f decided uponas requisitel for allowing-the vals-'c 'T to close, and when' the thermostat tube is yagain chilled 'and contracted by the presence. of water or moistA steam in the pipe Section5',

valve' 7 is raised more or less from its seat steam pressure falls far below normal and" a quant-ity of Water 1s being supplied which,

and the supply of fuel to the burner lin-v creases. Theoretically, should b e sufficient to maintain ai uniform steam .pressure in' the generator, but it is Well lmown that in practice such is not thef case, for theactual effect at times is to'allorv the fuel supply to remain' on until the' coil .is heated to4 a dangerous. degree,V while at;

other times-the thermostat fails to allow the fuel to'pass to the burner even when the under other circumstances,- Would -suilice to chill the thermostat and allow the fuel valve to open. A plausible explanation of these contrary and theoretically Vimpossible 'con ditions is that in one case the combined effect of thel moist steam contiguous to the thermof stat tube andthe liquid'fuelwhich finds its way into the tube `when the fire is started is sufficient to keep' the tube contracted and the v fuel valve open, although the coil and the the fuel valve Where 'the conditionsare suchthatthe thermostat is subjected to excessive outer tube incasing the thermostat may be at the same time'dangerously overheated; while in the other case the thermostat tube which has once been very highly and greatly overheated, expelling the moist. steam from around it and the liquid fuel from within it',

takes so longv to cool off that the pressure fallsfar below' normal b'efore the tube contracts' sufficiently to open the fuel valve.l Furthermore, Vit is found that the thermostat tube does not expand and contract uniformly under uniform conditions, it being observed that the metal when once overheatedfails to` resume its original 'shape ,or length, and this makes it necessary to continually 'readj'ust' extremes of heat and cold. Such are the ob'- jections tothe purely the'rmostati'c` control.-

QA purely steam pressure control of the fuel might under some conditions, as before mentioned, also be ob]ect1onablo vand melluuent; as for example, where the pressurefalls and the boiler runs dry, thev fire being still on,

the boiler wouldbe eventually dau'xaged.' To

the end that the objections toboth of thcse' controls may be overcome, the present 111-' such mechanism Y vention combines thetwo systems-,f though,

'as before stated, and as -will hereinafter lmore -fully appear,l the thermostatcontrol is not essential to theoperation', oft-he 'invention' under some conditions, When the two systems of control are to vbe* thuscomburner, but should the steam pressure either rise. or fall beloxvnormal or'rpredetermined degrees, it will shut off the fuel regardl'e of -theaction .of the thermostat, thereby in the case ofA high pressure preventing exoessh'e pressure, and in the" case of low pressure,

.preventing lire damage to 'the boiler. In

thus combining the two syst ems of control,- the usual; outlet connection-S of the thermostat valve housmg 9 1s connected to a valve hous '111g 1 0 in l'which 1s conta-med two valves ll-fLlQ, both arranged to control-a pa '-:ge

.13, in the' opposite ends offwhichthe two Avalves ll-l2 are seated, the valves being preferablyassembled or related in such a 'relation that the seating of one-opens theA other and vicel versa.A .The valve housing l0 beyond the passage 13 is connected lin-any suitable connection or pipe 14 with the gas generator or retort 15, andtlns in turn is 'connected to the gas nozzle arranged opposite the burner inlet -16 as usual, so that when 'both valves' 11-12 are unscated an equal ex- -tent,the maximum Ilow of fuel to the burner will occur, The valve 11 maybeprovided with any suitable .means for urging it to its seat when' not otherwise restrained. The construction embodies a stem 1T which is ad- 4justably connected with -thc valve-11 b v being screw-'threaded therein andsecur'cd at its adjustment by a jam nut 1S, 1nd arranged around this stem between the nut 1S 'and a guide cap 19 is a coil spring 20v which fort-cs -the valve 1l to its se'at. The 'stem 1T is shown as continuing through' thcgvalve 11 and connected-.to the va-le 12, so that tht` distance between the two valves' may be varied by thel adjustment of the valve ll upon its stem. Thesetwo 'valves are actuated through tl-le'intermediary of any suitice able agency by .the p ress'lre of the .stranr'in the generator l in suclra way'that when the pressure rises beyond then'nxxlrmun or. pre

A"determined degree, the val-ve 12 will be.

forced firmly against its seataud the fur-l passage -13- completely closed` and on the other hand,l when the pressure falls lu-.yond a predetermined degree andthe beller argl-n4 craterv is about to be-endangcrcd-by 'the lire,

inits the spring to4 force thevalve l1 closed, ,thereby also',l shutting off-the supply of'v fuel tothe-burner, yIt is, of course, ap-

A parent also that when `the pressure,l in the generator .4 r is normal', both valves 11-412 'willbe more or lessunsea-ted, permitting a normal flow of fuel', to the burner foi-maintaining a normalire and consequently a uniform pressure. lrrl this exempliication ygotftlieinvention, .the Valve 12 is provided lwith a stein 21-passing through agiiide 22 provided with a stuffing boX 23 and arranged to loe-influenced by thediaphragmy 240i other suitable iiuidpressure abutment. which is located. ina diaphragm chamber 25 connecte'd` to steam* pipe 6in such a manner that the steam pressure' ofthe generator deiiects l the diaphragm and moves thefvalves v11---12 with referenceto their 'seats as tbefoie exv plained, and when lthe pressure falls, the diaphragm isreturned to itsformer positionby a spring 26n or other suitablel cushion Whose power of resistance'i's so proportioned as to overcome the 'pressure Within the generator, until it reaches that degree which has beenpreriously determi-'ned upon'asfthe dex gree ofpressure at which this valve 11 shall openwithout entirely closing the valve 12. '1`he `'diaphragm 2l acts directly againsta ,head 27 which serves as an abutment for one end ofthe spring 26,' Whose other end rests against aplate 28 through which passes a y stem 29 connected to the'head 27 at its lower.

I fend. #The -upper :end of this vstem passes through a' suitable guide 30 which` is screw threaded iii the end of a casing 31 iiiclosing the spring 26, they guide being formed with f nre'nchsockets 82 whereby it'may be adjust? ed 'with 'respect totheplate 28 andthereby increase the degree of pressure of the spring v2G against the diaphragm 21. In the upper .end of `stem v291s arranged an adJusting 'screw vprovided with a notched disk' 34,

or-other suitabl'eineans whereby the screw 5" lmaybe turned.. In this example of the inventio'n, the edge of the disk is accessible to4 I -theiingers of the' operator through the open sides of a lyoke or frame-35 Which is secured to the casing 31 and carries .the guide and the disk '.31 is lockedat its adjustment `by a pair ot dOgSBG- venibracing'one ofthe bars of 'the Iyoke 35 and progecting inwardlyfrom `aV spring 3S on which .they are f formed, The ylower end of the stein 21 .is

gironv support upontheupper` end of the' screw `Whose head is pointed on its upper i .iisider-ralthough squared at' its edges' to fit `Withiirn corresponding(socket in the disk .theldisk 3l,- the Valve-` ie,diaphragm 2l; There',

o controll the ,supplyl Aofmnu ally; iv i t ies WheriA it, maybe nece# hout Waiting' forthese automatic devices to.- act, as .before mentioned, -and Vto. that end- "the automatic...

devices are provided""with 'suitable 'means accessible to the vdriver"or operatonf'wherebyl. 70.A

they may be openedl orl closed such, for ex:-

are` connected toonefarm 41' ofa lever pivvenient' means 'of effecting this connection consists inproviding the.y lower end of stem'.

21 with a screw threaded portion 430i libi.

eral dimensions, to. -which is clamped a di.-

.Vided lugist havingtrunnions't located Within'the embrace of bifurcated jaws 46,

constituting the other arm of -the said lever.'

soj

The arm L11 of thelev'er is providedW-ith an adjustable extension 47 which is pivotedto the ylower end of a rod 48', and the'upperv end l of this rod passes through the'. floor of the vehicle and carries foot button?-l 39, under..

Which is arranged a cushiontorfspringd) adapted to lift rod 48 and return the val-VesK I11--124 to they position shown in Fig.: 6, should the springjfZO-ffail to do so. Rod 48 isalso connected pivotallyvto a levery 50.to

which` the'foot button 40 Vis also 'pivotedL i Rod 50 may be provided: with an indicator 51 extending 'upwardlyl vthrough `the floor with its end arranged in reading relation to a scal'e'52 on the dash boardvbearing `.tords' or characters indicating .thepositions of the Valves 11-12 with respect to--their seats.

.Occasionsarise in the opera-tion of suchv devices when it might be desired to keep the fire on va longer time' than would be ordinarily permitted by the automatic pressure regulator. It has before been explained that by'pressing the foot button 39, the Valve 1l may be forced -froi'pii 'its seat andby proper manipulation, both valves 11 and 12'held pressed toits sea-t for completelyclosing the fuel'. passage, but should it bedesired to keep these`.valve .11 and 12 open and allowd4 thefire to remainion, yas just mentioned, the' result .might be' conveniently accomplished by simply 4screwing theA foot button 39 iartherdownward lon its rod orsteni 4S, therebycompressing'the spring :49 which induces greater upwardn strain' against the'rod 48 and therebyresists the pressure of' the'steam d -generator' against lthe: iluid 'p'ressure'abut nient or fdiaphragmr 24. restraining Ithe ioortodiave ythe.-i'al've. l12 closed' -under ordi- 'confditions It is also'seen that by a djustinentof the foot button or nut l f orki'ng pressure of' iso of theI generator nearit'sflower end, a burner having its fuel supply controlled .by's'aid thermostatic regulator, and, .a'steampressure regulator operatively zconnected. Withjthe steam generator-and also A'jo erativel" related to'sai'd. burner forcontrolling' the fuel 'supply thereto, saidpressure. regulator embodye ing means for shuttingohthe fuelfsupply v`-when the pressure --in thegenerator' rises l above a -oer-tam degree, 'and' s 4ar'ate, meansfor'shutting 'o the-supplyofuel when the pressure in .fthegenerator falls below a cer# tain degreel- 10.'.:I'n an apparatus for the purpose de scribed the combinatin of-'a flash' steam 'genstator, a burnerfor'iiuid-fuehpressure con'- t-rolledV means operativelyrelated'.tol the burnerand communicating with, the generi ator for'reducing-the 'supply' of fuel to the burnerjnllien 'the'v pressure' in the generator .increases above a-.certain degree,jand al tberl4 mostat also'op'eratively related'to tli'c burner and subjectedto the' heat'of the steam 'generator for controlling the 'jsupplyfof fuel to theL .burner, f said pressureA controlled.' means ein; bodying a diaphragm chamber with' which the steam. generator communicates, a 'diaphragm 1n saidch'ainber, a headed stem. havnlgthe' head thereof restingagainstthe dia-4 phragm, a. 'spring encircling "the s aid stem and-bearing against said heada fuel passage leading tothe burner 'and having avalve'A se'a't,.a valve for closing said passage,4 a stein for said; valve 'arranged in axial 'alinernent with .thefirst said' stem and being independent thereof and adapted toreceive'motion therefrom 'for closingsaid valve 'whenthe diaphragln 'is moved against the 4'resistance ot" said spring, and means 'situated between the .adjacent ends of .said stems adjustably supported by one .stem and engaglng the Vother for adjusting themrelatively.

11.- In l an apparatus -for Athe erator, a burner for 'f iuid fuel,.pr essure conytrolled means operatively related to the burx'ier and communicating with thegener ator for reducing 'the vsupply of fuel 'to the burner when tho pressure in thegen'erator reaches a certain degree, and t-hermostatic means 'also operatlvely .related tothe. burner `ind communicating 'n-'ththe generator" for controlling thesupply of fuelto the burner,

said pressure controlled means embodying a diaphragm chamber with which thel steam generator -commumcates,. a dlaphragm 1n said chamber, a stein arranged to' be 'moved in one 'direction by `said diaphraglma Aspring for moving said stem in the oppositedirec- `tion against the resist-ance of the generator pressure, a fuel passage leadmg to. the burner and having avalve sca't, va valve for closing said'passage, a stem arranged in 'axial aline mentfwith'the first said' stem and 4connected with 'said valve for receivingthe longitudi-A purpose vde; scribed, the combinationo'f a flash steam genbodying a fuel passage, a valve closing said passage, a spring adapted to open said valve,

a fluid pressurcjabu'tm'en't exposed 't'the 'pressure of the generator for-closingsaid .direction independently thereof, and,`v

manually operative fmeansfconnected vyitlr said -valve forlclosil'igt-h'e same at Will'inde- 'pen'dently` of saidabutment-1 '13. In anappa'r'at'us for'the purpose d escribed, .the combination. ,ofa flash steam generator, a .burnerfor fluid fuehpressure controlled means operatively related to. the

Aso

valve',- said. .abutment beingdisconnected Y from said valve s'o as to be rno'va'blev 1none -burner and' communicating with the gcneratorr for reducingfhe supply ofuel 'to the burner when the pressure A1n the generator 'reachesa certain degree, said pressure' controlled .means lembodying 'a diaphragm" chamber. with, which the' steam' generator cominuniates, a diaphragm insaid chamber, with stem aaranged ,to'be moved in one direotion bysaid diaphragm, a spring for moving said stemin the opposite directionagainst the resistance ofthe generator pressure, a fuel passage leading to the burner .and having asvalve seat,a'valve1for closing saidfpass'age, -a stem` arranged in axial alinement with 'the first said stem and connecteld -Witl1 said valve for receiving the longitud-1'- nal movement' of the irst saidstem a-ndf 'thereby closing said-valve, said stems being independent, and-.manually opcrativemeans connected with the stern -of the valve for 'opening and closing the 'valve at--.Will.

Q14. In an apparatus' for 'thepurposedescri-bed, the combination of a. flash generf ator, a burner. for Huid fuel, vpressure con trolled means operatively; related `to the burn'er and commnnicatinggwith the gener-Y ator forreducing the fuel supply to-the burner when the pressure in .the .generator reaches a'certain degree, said. pressure con- ,trolled means embodying a diaphragm .chamber .with which 'the steam. generatorcommunicates,- adiaphragm Vin saidchamber, 'a stem arranged-mbe moved in one' directionby'said'diaphragm, a spring for moving lsaid 'stem in theopposite direction against the resistance ofthe generator pressure, .a 'fuel' passage leading to'the burner and having two valve seats, two alternately closing valve'sar'anged-to engage said seats respec- I tvelyf, means-uIiei'ebjfhlesng 'of ,one 'ofi said yahes opensihef'thef, astem arranged 'in amallalin'ement Withjtherst' said stern 1 iii-st sai Stem' and thereby losg'the valve to' wh ich' the second said i stem's connete'd, .sind stems heling; 1ndepe1-1denz',V and .manually operahng rneansf.connectedwiih' -the lsaid 1Y0 scribed, the combination ofa. seamgenere' .-ator, a burner' 'for 'liquid ueL'a pressure .con-' l trolled means" operatively; l-related- -to the l j burner and generatorfor'eontrollingthefuel.

l supply W11en'-th'e-p'ressure init-he generator iuctuates between Certain 1' degreesysaid:l

'closing said' passage ati eachend "adjustal'ole.

I 'sure'. abutment erieposfed- 'to' the pressure -of 'the generato: vfor openinganothe'of said'- 'y Witnesses:

',Said' valves kan 105mg the samwin "in dependently of-the'abutm'ent.

.. 1 so' 16; In an' apparatus 'for the purpose 'de-1. 'scribed,' the fombnaton of a l steam gener'l afer, a. burnerafor liquid ffuel', a :pressure 'bom A 't'olled V'xt neanra's operatvelylxelated to' the burner and genera-Cor for vontrolling thel fue1 .s up ply when the pressure in the generaterffiue'tuates between eervtfzaindegree's, 'said means embodying a-fue passat'ge adjustable the said'ud controlled. means.A

l 1- .In 'testimony whereof I' have 'signed-my "lxzale'crsA.- HOPKINS,

CAN'nVELL."

51 entlyther'eof; .landmeans for`c1osng'one ofV the said valves at-Will and independently o. 

